Gas-lighter.



PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.

A. P. STORES. GAS LIGHTER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1 Nb. 723,331? PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.

A. P. STORES.

GAS LIGHTER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2a, 1902.

' no MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 24 Witnesses: 9

Inventor Attorneys THE mamas PETERS co PHOTOLITHO wnsumo'rou, n. l

Umrsn STATES:

AARON P. STORES, OF OWEGO, NEW YORK.

GAS-LI GHTER..

SPECIFICATION formingpart of LettersPatent No. i"23,331, dated March 24, 1903. Application filed January 2's, i902. Serial 1%. 91,543. (No model.)

5 have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gas-Lighters, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to improvements in gas-lighters of the automatic type using a body of spongy platinum or other material which becomes incandescent when subjected to the reducing action of hydrogen.

The object of my invention is to provide novel means for sustaining the igniting-body [5 and by which the latter after the gas has been ignited will beautomatically removed from the heating effect of the flame, whereby its life will be greatlyincreased, and after the flame has been extinguished the igniting body will return to its former position, so as to be again acted on when the gas is once m ore released.

To this end the invention consists, broadly, in combining mechanism with the support for the igniting-body so constructed and arranged that when subjected to the heat of the flame said mechanism will move the igniting-body or allow the latter to be movedfor instance, by gravityout of the zone of obo jectionable heat, said mechanism being so arranged that when the influence of the heat is I removed by the extinguishing of the flame its parts will return to their normal positions, thereby again moving the igniting-body or 5 permitting the latter to be moved into the path of the gas ready for another operation. Preferably the elements of the device are so constructed and arranged that the ignitingbody after it has performed its function will 0 by the operation of the mechanism aforesaid be moved entirely outside of the chimney, so as to be thereby practically uninfluenced by the heat. When this is done, the ignitingbody may be actually passed through an opening in the chimney, and the latter may therefore be conveniently of the mica type now extensively used in connection with incandescent gas-burners. When the chimney is provided with an opening through which the igniting-body passes, the support for the latter may carry a shield, which tends .to close said opening and keep it closed while the light is burning.

My invention also preferably provides means by which the position of the ignitingwhich has the advantages of simplicity, economy, and efliciency; but I do not wish to be confined to any details'of construction, since obviously the broad invention can be carried out by Widely different combinations of elements.

In the drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a sectional view illustrating the upper portion of an'incandescent gas-mantle and its support, showing a mica chimney surrounding the sameand illustrating a perforated canopy, the latter carrying the thermostatic devices for operating the igniting-body; Fig. 2, a plan view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an enlarged sectional view of a suitable arrangement of parts for use in connection with an ordinary chimney, whether glass or mica; Fig. 4, a plan view of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

In all of the above views corresponding parts are represented by the same numerals of reference.

In Fig. 1, I illustrate an ordinary incandescent mantle 1, carried by a support 2 and within which is located a Bunsen burner 3. Surrounding the mantle is a mica chimney 4,

carrying a canopy 5, formed with a mica disk 6 at its top, all of the common and well-known construction. Secured to the under side of the mica disk 6 is a metal strip 7, formed with fingers 8 8, which guide a thermostatic bar 9 and permit the latter to expand or contract longitudinally. The thermostatic bar-9 is secured at one end to the mica disk'6 byarivet 10. Secured between the thermostatic bar 9 and the strip 7 is a regulating-disk 11, eccentrically mounted on a rivetl2,passing.through the mica disk 6. This rivet therefore holds both the regulating-disk 11 and the strip 7 in place on the mica disk, as will be understood. The regulating-disk 11 is mounted eccentrically with respect to the rivet 12, as shown,

and is provided with a series of openings 13,

which may be engaged by a pin or other pointed instrument to turn the regulatingslot 15, so that the arm 16 will be supported by the thermostatic bar 9 by the head-like portion 18 of said arm 16 above the cut-away portions 17. The edge of the regulating-disk 11 bears against the head 18, as shown, so that by turning the regulating-disk the angle of the arm 16 can be adjusted to normally swing its lower end over the burner 3, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. This lower end of the arm is formed with an angular bend 19 and with a hook 20, as shown. The hook 20 carries the igniting-body 21, which is shown in the form of a small mantle and which is made of spongy platinum or other material capable of being brought to incandescence by the reducing action of hydrogen. Preferably, also, the hook 20 carries a disk or shield 22 for protecting the igniting-body when the latter has been automatically withdrawn from its normal position above the burner. Preferably the chimney 4.- is formed with an opening 23 therein, having a protecting metallic rim 24 and so located that when the igniting-body is swung to one side, as shown in dotted lines, the latter will project through said opening, so as to be withdrawn entirely from the heat of the burner. In this position the shield 22 will rest on the inside of the chimney opposite the opening 23, so as to effectively close it, and thereby offer a further protection'to the igniting-body.

Ihave referred to the disk 6 as being a mica disk, since ordinarily the canopies 5 are provided with disks of this kind at their upper end; but obviously a metallic disk may be used instead. When a mica disk is employed for this purpose, the thermostatic bar 9 is made of metal having a very much higher coefficient of expansion. I have experimented successfully with thermostatic bars made of brass and aluminium and find that the latter material is very desirable for the purpose, owing to its high coefficient of expansion. If the disk 6 is made of metal, then obviously the thermostatic bar 9 should be made of some other refractory material with a diiferont coefficient of expansion.

Normallythat is to say, when the parts are in the position shown in full lines, Fig.

1the arm 16 Will occupy the inclined position shown, being sustained between the farther end of the slot 15 in the thermostatic bar and against the edge of the regulatingdisk 11. In this condition it is assumed that the burner is not lighted. When the gas is turned on, it impinges against the ignitingbody 21, which in a few seconds becomes sufficiently hot to ignite the gas. Immediately the heat of the flame causes the thermostatic bar 9 to expand, moving the far end of the slot 15 outwardly and permitting the arm 16 to fall by gravityto the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the hook 20 passing through the opening 23 and carrying the igniting-body actually outside of the chimney. In this position the shield 22 will cover the opening 23, so as to further protect the igniting-body. When the gas is turned off, the thermostatic bar 9 will contract and the parts will return to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the igniting-body being ready to again ignite the gas. Owing to the fact that the thermostatic bar works very closely beloW the regulating-disk 11, a very slight expansion or contraction of the former will result in a comparatively great movement of the lower end of the arm 16, whereby the igniting-body can be automatically removed from the effect of the heat by very simple mechanism.

In Figs.' 3 and 4 I illustrate a slight modification of the device,which is adapted especially for use 'in connection with chimneys that are not provided with canopies. In this modification the thermostatic bar 9 is'formed with a hook 25, which rests upon the chimney at one side, and the strip 7 is formed with a hook 26, resting upon the chimney at the other side. Instead of making use of a mica disk 6 I employ a mica strip 27, which at one end is anchored to the thermostatic bar 9 by a rivet 28 and at its other end is fastened by the rivet 12 to the regulating-disk 11 and strip 7. The strip 7 is provided with an opening 29, corresponding to the opening 14in the mica disk 6 of Fig. 1 and which discloses the regulating-holes 13 in the disk 11. With this modification therefore it will be noted that the strip 7 is arranged above the mica body instead of beneath it, as with the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In all other respects the construction of the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and the operation of the same correspond with the construction and operation of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. The combination with a gas-burner, of an igniting-body normally located in the path of the gas, mechanism influenced by the heat of the burner for withdrawing said ignitingbody out of the influence of the heat of the burner, and means for adjusting the position of the igniting-body toward and away from the path of the gas, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination with a gas-burner and a chimney surrounding the same and formed with an opening therein, of an igniting-body normally arranged in the path of the gas, and mechanism influenced by the heat of the burner for moving the said igniting-body through said opening, substantially as set forth. i

3. The combination with a gas-burner and achimney surrounding the same and formed with an opening therein, of an igniting-body normally arranged in the path of the gas, a

thermostatinfluenced by the heat of the burner for moving the said igniting-body through said opening, and a shield movable with the igniting-body for closing said opening when the igniting-body has been moved through the same, substantially as set forth. 4. As a new article of manufacture, an attachment for chimneys of gas-burners, comprising mechanism influenced by heat and having an arm forsupporting an ignitingbody, an igniting-body carried by said arm,

and a shield carried by the arm adjacent to said igniting-body, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a gas-burner, of two bodies having diflerent coeflicients of expansion and contraction, said bodies being secured together and extendingparallel with eachother, an arrnflsupported by one of said bodies and engaged by the other, and an ignitingbody carried by said arm, substantially as set forth.

lower end, and a strip fixed to said regulat ing-disk and forming guides for said thermostatic bar, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination with the mica disk of a canopy for a gas-burner chimney, of a regulating-disk carried by said mica disk, athermostatic bar secured to the mica disk below the regulating-disk, and an arm carried by said thermostatic bar and engaged by said regulating-disk, said arm carrying an igniting-body at its lower end, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 23d day of January, 1902.

AARON P. STORES. Witnesses:

CHAS. P. SToRRs,

F. STORES HANSELL. 

